Where To Hit Em'

In posting some of my "Where would you aim on this turkey" threads on ArcheryTalk.com, I've realized that many people really are unsure about where to correctly aim on a broadside turkey.

Disregarding head shots, the easiest way to put it is to remember these sayings. Not Mine >"Hit Em Low and Watch Em go - Hit Em High and Watch Em Die" Mine > "Follow the line and you'll be fine".

See the illustration below. By the "line", I mean where two areas of feathers on the turkey meet and a lateral line is seen. If you place your arrow much further underneath this line, you'll be into the breast and more than likely end up with a lost bird. Anywhere in the yellow (unless you break a leg) the bird is gone. A little higher than this line and you'll break the bird's back and anchor it right on the spot.

The ideal spot is right in the white circle. The vitals on a turkey are farther back than most people realize. They are directly above the turkey's legs.

The wing butt is a good target and a quick kill, cause of an artery that runs along the wingbone. Major bloodloss will result with a broken wingbone at the area where it meets the body.

A turkey's heart is almost the size of a ping pong ball. The whole "kill area" is smaller than a baseball, so pinpoint accuracy is a must. If you can nail a tennis ball at 20 yards every time, you're ready; if you can accomplish this at 30, even better.

Shooting a turkey above the legs eliminates their ability to run. They can't get airborn without a short run for takeoff. If you take out their legs, the game is over, but it may cover a good bit of ground flapping around trying to take off before expiring.

Personally, I'd rather not take a headshot just for the simple fact that a turkey can move it's head out of the arrows path in a split second (the time it takes for your brain to say to your finger "shoot" and your finger react to it) and make your arrow miss it's mark. If you can hit them in the head the game is over instantly. If you miss them, they live to see another day. The disadvantage to this method is not many of us are good enough with a bow to take off a bobbing turkey's head.

String trackers are an option in case of a bad hit, but stick to the above guidelines and you'll not need one. Make sure to practice with your tracker if you opt to put one on your bow. They'll sometimes change the point of impact slightly.

Good luck to all giving it a try with archery gear this spring!